Drafted by the Devil Rays in 2004, southpaw Jake McGee spent a staggering 12 years evolving within the organizational pipeline, transitioning from a highly touted starting prospect into an indispensable late-inning weapon.

When he finally made it onto the major league roster for a brief, eight-game appearance in September 2010, his raw, electrifying talent was immediately evident. Although McGee took on a bigger role in 2011, it wasn’t until 2012 that he secured his spot permanently at the back end of the bullpen. Over the following three seasons, he became an indispensable workhorse for managers Kevin Cash and Joe Maddon, appearing in at least 69 games each summer. His lethal four-seam fastball, which regularly overwhelmed even the top hitters in the American League, propelled him to his peak performance during a remarkable 2014 season. That summer, he assumed the closer role for the final three months, recording 19 saves, a minuscule 1.89 ERA, and striking out 90 batters in just 71.1 innings.

He followed that outstanding stretch with another impressive season in 2015, posting a sub-3.00 ERA and using his deceptive fastball to hold opponents to a.197 batting average. Sensing that his trade value was at its peak ahead of free agency, the front office took advantage of his market desirability that winter, trading McGee to the Colorado Rockies in a major deal that brought outfielder Corey Dickerson to the team.

McGee made 297 appearances (all in relief). He compiled a stellar 21–11 record with 26 saves, a 2.77 ERA, and a premium 1.02 WHIP, striking out 319 batters over 259.2 innings pitched.

In the wildly unpredictable career of Fernando Rodney, the two-season chapter he spent in St. Petersburg stands as an absolute mountain peak. Signed as an unheralded free agent ahead of the 2012 season after nine years of varying success with Detroit and the Los Angeles Angels, the Dominican right-hander was handed the ninth-inning keys by Joe Maddon. What followed wasn't just a career resurgence—it was one of the most historically dominant relief seasons in baseball history.

Weaponizing a generational, fading changeup that completely locked up opposing hitters, Rodney turned the 2012 campaign into a personal masterpiece. He slammed the door for a franchise-record 48 saves, but it was his pristine efficiency that rewrote the record books: Rodney yielded a microscopic 0.60 ERA over a career-high 74.2 innings, setting a major league record for the lowest single-season ERA by any pitcher with at least 50 innings thrown. The baseball world took notice of the performance—and his signature, tilted-cap style—rewarding him with an All-Star selection, a fifth-place finish in the AL Cy Young voting, and a 13th-place finish in the MVP race. Every time he pulled back his invisible bow and arrow to celebrate a final out, the Rays were securing a win on the back of historically elite run prevention.

While maintaining that mythical level of perfection was impossible, Rodney returned in 2013 to provide the club with another highly productive baseline. He locked down 37 saves across 68 appearances, anchoring a steady bullpen that propelled the Rays right back into the postseason picture.

With his market value thoroughly restored, Rodney hit the open market that winter and signed a lucrative free-agent deal with the Seattle Mariners. Rodney made 144 appearances (all in relief). He compiled a 7–6 record with 85 saves, a spectacular 1.91 ERA, and a 1.03 WHIP, striking out 158 batters over 141.1 innings pitched as a Ray.

When the Tampa Bay Rays acquired Jake Odorizzi prior to the 2013 season, it was part of a franchise-altering transaction. Shipped from Kansas City alongside Wil Myers in the trade that sent James Shields to the Royals, the right-hander arrived with a pedigree that suggested he was the next great pitching prospect ready to roll off the organization’s developmental line. After spending the bulk of his first year in the state sharpening his pitch mix in Triple-A, Odorizzi grabbed a permanent spot in the rotation in 2014 and didn’t look back.

That 2014 rookie season showcased exactly what made his four-seam fastball such a lethal weapon. Attacking hitters at the top of the zone with an invisible, rising heater, Odorizzi logged an 11–13 record across 31 starts, punching out 174 batters over 168 innings. His high-strikeout style led all major league rookies and earned him an eighth-place finish in the American League Rookie of the Year voting, anchoring a staff transitioning away from its older core.

His evolution into a front-of-the-rotation stalwart reached its peak efficiency in 2015. In what was arguably his finest individual campaign in a Rays uniform, Odorizzi manipulated opposing lineups with an increasingly deceptive split-changeup, finishing with a 9–9 record and a stellar 3.35 ERA. That mark ranked eighth-best in the American League, cementing him as one of the most reliable arms in the junior circuit.

He remained the picture of stability over the next two summers, racking up identical 10-win campaigns in 2016 and 2017 while consistently eating valuable chunks of innings. With his arbitration costs escalating, the Rays executed their signature pivot, trading the veteran right-hander to the Minnesota Twins prior to the 2018 season to jumpstart their next pitching wave.

In Tampa Bay, Odorizzi made 127 appearances (123 starts). He compiled a 40–37 record with a 3.82 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, throwing 698.1 innings and registering 639 strikeouts.

During the Tampa Bay Devil Rays’ initial roster setup before the 1998 season, they sought more than just young prospects; they needed a proven, reliable closer to secure games in the ninth inning. They found their ideal candidate in veteran Roberto Hernández. Although another pitcher with the same name later pitched for St. Petersburg, it was this original, Puerto Rican right-hander—an expert at closing games—who established the initial high standards for the franchise's bullpen.

Hernández entered the league known as one of baseball’s most reliable late-inning pitchers and quickly became a key member of the young team. After a strong debut in 1998, his performance peaked in a remarkable 1999 season. He relied on a heavy sinker in the mid-90s and a sharp forkball to dominate American League batters throughout the summer. His achievements included an All-Star selection, leading the majors with 66 games finished, and setting a career high with 43 saves—second most in the league and a franchise record for over ten years.

Although the expansion team faced typical growing pains of a new franchise, Hernández consistently remained reliable. Throughout his three-year tenure, he effectively covered the ninth inning, offering rare stability and calm leadership to a bullpen that was frequently changing.

Aiming to rebuild their young farm system, the front office traded the veteran closer to the Kansas City Royals before the 2001 season as part of a major three-team deal. His stint in St. Petersburg lasted only three years, limiting his career numbers, but he left with 101 saves and 182 games finished, making Hernández the franchise’s all-time saves leader.